On the Way Down
by gillybear
Summary: Lily and James have entered their sixth year at Hogwarts. Will this year be any different? Has James changed? Can Lily and James ever be just friends?


**NO POV**  
  
The years had passed by rather quickly for James and his friends, before they knew it they had just one week to go until they would be boarding the Hogwarts Express and starting their sixth year. Back in third year James had failed in his try at not liking Lily and his friends had caught on rather quickly, so he went back to liking her freely and everybody knew it. He had constantly asked her out, and in return she had constantly turned him down.  
  
It wasn't until fifth year that he had really pushed her buttons, how he wished he hadn't. It was after they had finished their O.W.Ls that they had walked outside to relax when Sirius and he had spotted Snape, oh how they loved to torment him. Unfortunately, in the middle of making Snape's life a living hell, Lily decided to intervene and it all went downhill from there. She had insisted he stop tormenting Snape and he had, for some stupid reason, chosen that moment to ask her out, yet again. That didn't go over so well, not for James, at least. Lily had screamed at him and pretty much told him that he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell with her. Ouch!  
  
This summer had been the first one since third year that he didn't send her an owl each day asking her to go out with him. James hadn't even talked to Lily at all since that incident, not even on the train ride home, he knew if he ever wanted to get her to go out with him that he needed to let her cool off for quite awhile. James had also hoped that not bugging Lily this summer might give her the idea that he could change, he had vowed to never again pester her on purpose or hex people 'for the fun of it.' Sirius was disappointed until James assured him that didn't mean an end to their pranking people.  
  
James Potter was the co-leader of the Marauders along with Sirius Black. Their job as Marauders was to play pranks. James Potter had jet black hair that, try as he may, he could never get to lie flat. James had the most breathtaking hazel eyes that could capture your attention in a second. Sirius, on the other hand, had silky brown hair that always fell neatly above his gorgeous blue eyes.  
  
James' thoughts were interrupted as Sirius barged into his room, Sirius had been living with him all summer. Sirius finally couldn't take it at home and ran away to James' house, he had thought of James as his brother so it had made sense to go to him, not to mention James would have been down right angry if he had gone anywhere else. James parents' loved having Sirius around, he was like their second son.  
  
"Our letters came." Sirius said, walking over and plopping down on James' bed before handing him his letter.  
  
"No way," James said a smile spreading across his face.  
  
"What?" Sirius asked wanting to know what could be in his letter that was so great.  
  
"I forgot that last year was Craig's last year." James said talking about John Craig, their former quidditch captain. "I'm team captain!" James said smiling at Sirius' realization.  
  
"That's awesome, James." Sirius said patting his friend on the back. "It was bound to be you mate, you're the best on the team." James just smiled at him. "Want to go to Diagon Ally tomorrow." Sirius asked as he finished reading his letter.  
  
"Yeah that sounds good. I'll write a quick letter to Remus and Peter and let them know our plans, then we can go have a round at quidditch." Both of the boys happened to be chasers on the Gryffindor team and now James was the team captain.  
  
**NO POV**  
  
"Lily, has James sent you any letters yet this summer?" Taylor asked as Lily, Belle, and she were spread out on her floor. Each summer the girls went home to their own houses for a month then they would all stay at each other's houses', this year it was Taylor's turn. Ever since the girls met and had been sorted into Gryffindor, they had been inseparable.  
  
"No, thank heavens." The gorgeous red-head said, frowning about the topic they were on. Her emerald eyes turned fiery at the mere mention of James. "After last year I have no desire to talk to that prat."  
  
"Yeah, you informed the whole school." Belle giggled at the memory of the incident, while she brushed her blonde hair out of her face. Isabelle White had curly blonde hair that shaped her face perfectly, making her ice blue eyes stand out.  
  
"It's weird though, isn't it?" Taylor asked. Taylor Atwood was the third and final of the three girls, she had straight, black hair that reached mid-back. Taylor had ice blue eyes and was a chaser on the Gryffindor quidditch team, along with James and Sirius.  
  
"No, we all know Lily hates him." Belle said  
  
"No, not that. I mean that James hasn't said as much as one word to Lily since then, let alone ask her out. He didn't even bother her on the ride home, and now no letters." Taylor looked at Lily to see her response.  
  
"Hopefully he is over me." Was all that Lily said when someone yelled up to them.  
  
"Lily! Belle! Taylor! Your Hogwarts letters are here!" Taylor's mom shouted up the stairs as the girls came running down. "Here you go." Mrs. Atwood said handing each girl her respective letter.  
  
"Mom, I think we are gonna go to Diagon Ally tomorrow, if that's ok." Taylor said as they all finished reading their letters.  
  
"That's fine hunny, but remember your father and I have a business trip to attend so we won't be home until August 30."  
  
"Okay, mom." Taylor said waiting for the lecture she knew they would get.  
  
"Now girls," 'Here it is' Taylor thought, rolling her eyes as her mother continued, "I want you all to behave yourselves, and be very, I repeat very careful. With the growing threat of Voldemort I don't want you to leave the house except to go to Diagon Ally and that is it. Do you understand? Oh, also, I don't want you having anyone over here either."  
  
"Yes, ma'am" all three girls said in unison as Mrs. Atwood headed into the kitchen.  
  
**NO POV**  
  
"Remus, who are you looking for?" James asked for the hundredth time as they were walking through Diagon Ally. Something was up with that boy, he had been scanning the crowd since they got there.  
  
"No one." Remus said trying to look as if he were telling the truth. Remus Lupin was part of the Marauders; he was by far the nicest of the bunch. Remus had tawny hair and chocolate brown eyes.  
  
"Remus, with us as friends you'd think you would be able to lie by now. Honestly, what a disappointment." Sirius joked. "Look who it is." He spotted Taylor, Belle, and Lily. Just as he was making his way towards them, James grabbed his wrist.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sirius asked, amused that James wasn't running over to Lily.  
  
"I'm not going over there." James said glancing at Lily, he noticed the girls had spotted them and where heading this way, Lily rather reluctantly.  
  
"Looks like you don't have to mate." Sirius grinned patting his closest friend on the back. "Good day, ladies." Sirius said smiling his famous smile that had won so many over.  
  
"Hello, Remus." Taylor said blushing as she went up and kissed him on the check, surprising everyone except Remus.  
  
"Wow, wow, wow!" Sirius said delighted realizing who Remus was looking for. "What's going on between the two of you?"  
  
"Oh, yeah we, umm..., forgot to tell you guys." Taylor started.  
  
"Taylor and I have been going out all summer." Remus finished draping his arm around her shoulders, as she blushed.  
  
"How could you 'forget' to tell us that?" Lily asked, momentarily forgetting James was there too.  
  
"Yeah it's not like we haven't been at your house pretty much all summer." Belle said folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"Ok, well I didn't forget, I don't know, I guess I wasn't ready to tell you guys until I knew how it was going." Taylor said  
  
"And how is it going, Remus?" James asked speaking up for the first time since the girls arrived.  
  
"Very well, Prongs, thanks for asking." Remus said smiling at him.  
  
Lily, remembering what happened at the end of last year spoke up. "I have to go, umm..., us the bathroom." She left quickly before anyone could fallow her. True Potter hadn't said anything to her, in fact, he had barely even looked at her, but she didn't want to be in his presence at the moment. At that very moment she bumped into something, rather someone and was knocked on the ground.  
  
"Watch it, mudblood, these are new robes." Severus Snape said glowering at her as if she were the most disgusting thing in the world. Lily had always defended Snape when James and his friends made fun of him but that didn't stop him from hating her. He didn't need a girl, let alone a mudblood, to stand up for him.  
  
"It was as much your fault as it was mine, Snape." Lily said angrily as she got up. She was not in the mood for this right now. Just then Lucius Malfoy walked up behind Snape.  
  
"Is this mudblood troubling you?" He asked as if Lily had done something wrong.  
  
"It's quite the opposite really." Lily shot back, now fuming, they had no right to treat her like that.  
  
"Get out of my sight, mudblood." Just then Malfoy shoved into as he passed, once again she was knocked down.  
  
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, Malfoy?" She heard a familiar voice say. She looked up to see Potter and Black, not looking too happy.  
  
"Shove it Potter." Malfoy spat at James, walking away. Lily closed her eyes, she didn't want to witness this, but when she heard no noises of pain or otherwise she opened her eyes to see James crouching in front of her.  
  
"Are you okay, Lily?" James asked, his voice so full of concern it shocked her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Lily said as James grabbed her arms and pulled her too her feet. She looked around and not only was Snape and Malfoy gone, but Black was too, she figured he had gone to deal with the two Slytherins 'Wait a minute' Lily thought as something registered, 'Did he just call me Lily?'  
  
"I could have handled it." Lily said pulling her hands out of his grasp.  
  
"I know you could have." James said looking at her. 'What is going on with him? He is actually agreeing with me that I was capable of something.' Lily thought.  
  
"Potter, are you feeling all right?" Lily asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. Oh and Lily..." James said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Please call me James." Before she could say anything else he was gone.  
  
**NO POV**  
  
Their last week went by way to quickly for James' liking. Before he knew it they were in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express. After an hour or so of laughing and pulling some pranks on some unexpecting Slytherin, Remus stood up.  
  
"I'm gonna go find Taylor." He said as he slid the door open.  
  
"Okay, mate...we'll see you in a bit." James laughed as Peter sat there gagging. James had convinced Peter to eat a 'toffee' flavor bean and as soon as he popped it in his mouth, he regretted that decision. The bean turned out to be vomit instead of toffee, Peter wasn't sure if he would ever eat anything from James again.  
  
Peter Pettigrew was the last of the Marauders and the odd one of the bunch. He never seemed to fit in with them. James, Sirius and Remus let him tag along because they felt bad for him, but also James and Sirius like to experiment on him.  
  
Remus made his way through the corridors until he found the one containing Taylor, Belle, and Lily. He slid the door open. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
"Remus!" Taylor shouted getting up and giving him a hug. "Of course you can join us."  
  
"Actually you might be able to help us." Belle said as he took his seat next to Taylor.  
  
"Oh yeah? What do you need help with?" Remus asked.  
  
"Well, James has been acting odd lately and we were hoping you knew why." Belle continued. Remus noticed Lily wasn't very enthusiastic about this topic, it didn't even look like she was listening, she was staring very intently at a magazine.  
  
"Odd how? I mean James is always odd. I personally think it's because he and Sirius hang out too much..." He was cut off by Belle.  
  
"Remus." She gave him a look and then continued. "Lily tell him."  
  
"It's not that big a deal." Lily said not looking up from her magazine.  
  
"Lily, tell him or we will." Taylor said.  
  
"You guys are impossible." Lily said looking up at them. "All right, all right...I'll tell him, just don't look at me like that." Lily pointed her finger at Belle. "I hadn't spoken with him since that incident last year." Remus smiled knowing what 'incident' she was talking about. "He usually owls me all summer, bugging me to go out with him, and I didn't receive one letter this summer, not that I'm complaining. But the weirdest part is that at Diagon Ally he looked reluctant to even be near me and when I went to the bathroom I had a little run in with Snape and Malfoy. James and Sirius came just after Malfoy knocked me over, then Sirius, I think went after them, but James stayed. He was acting really weird. He helped me up and asked if I was okay, he seemed like he actually cared and he even used my first name." Lily spilled out very quickly.  
  
"Lily, you know James has liked you since at least second year, so that is why he was so caring, not to mention he is always caring and looking out for his friends. Lily he really is a great guy in spite of what you may think. As for why he called you by your first name, I think our James has actually grown up. Shocking isn't it. I know I couldn't believe it either." Remus said smiling at Lily. Just then they could hear struggling outside the door, and what sounded like James and Sirius.  
  
"I'll see what's going on." Remus said and just as he stood up the door opened to reveal Sirius and James, both out of breath.  
  
"Mind if we join you?" Sirius smirked.  
  
"No, it's fine." Belle said, watching Lily watch as Sirius walked in and took a seat leaving the one next Lily empty. James just stood in the doorway.  
  
"James you can come in too." Taylor said watching him curiously. He glanced over at Lily.  
  
"I'm gonna go check on Pete." James said and shut the door behind him. Once he was outside the compartment he leaned up against the wall taking deep breaths. "I'm gonna kill Sirius for that." He said. He had thought he had made it clear to his friends that he didn't want to annoy Lily this year and he had said, flat out to Sirius that he didn't want to go in there. So what did Sirius do? The prat dragged him to the girls' compartment and them left him to sit in the seat next to the person who would enjoy his company the least. James didn't return to the compartment the rest of the ride, he went and found some of his other friends and hung out with them.  
  
At the feast, James sat as on the far side of Sirius, so that he wasn't sitting directly across from Lily. During the sorting James could feel a pair of eyes on him, when he looked up Lily was staring at him. When he looked at her she quickly averted her attention away from him and back towards the sorting.  
  
'This year is going to be a long one, if we keep on like this.' James thought to himself.


End file.
